San Francisco 49ers: 5 must-do tasks for the 2018 offseason

No. 3: Sign Inside Linebacker Preston Brown from Buffalo

The free-agent class at linebacker seems underwhelming in 2018. Linebacker Reuben Foster’s arrest makes the 49ers situation at linebacker weak at best.

As it stands, 49ers starting inside linebacker Brock Coyle is an unrestricted free agent. Foster, the team’s weak-side backer, may serve upwards of an eight-game suspension for violating the NFL’s domestic violence rules, as well as their drug policy. With Foster out, the Niners would need to revamp their linebacking core completely. Eli Harold has not been a good strong-side backer whatsoever.

Former Buffalo Bills inside linebacker Preston Brown could help solve the 49ers linebacker woes. At 6-foot-1 and 251 pounds, Brown has the size to stop the run at the NFL level. He’s also got the experience, playing for Bills head coach Sean McDermott in his 4-3 defensive scheme a year ago.

In four seasons with the Bills, Brown has started all but two games, as he’s appeared in all 64 games the team has played since joining them in 2014. Brown also led the NFL in tackles in 2017, with 144, adding three passes defensed. While not a great playmaker, Brown is a steady force. The 49ers can use other players to make plays, as their defense is mainly run by the safeties and aided by a strong rotational pass rush.

Call this slide a two-for, because San Francisco could then use the ninth/10th overall selection on Virginia Tech’s off-the-ball outside linebacker, Tremaine Edmunds. At 19 years of age on draft day, Edmunds isn’t even a grown man yet. He plays with great technique and physicality. NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said it best (h/t Niners Wire) about Edmunds going to the 49ers:

"The beauty of this kid is he’s 19 years old, he’s 6-5, 250. At 19 years old. He doesn’t turn 20 until a couple days after the draft. I put the first tape in on this kid, and today he’s an off-the-ball linebacker. Meaning in a three-four, he’s an inside linebacker and he’d be great there. He also has a scary skill set as an edge rusher, which he did a little bit at Virginia Tech, and I know for sure he’s working on that now. So I see incredible upside. I see an off-the-ball linebacker, I think some of the three, four teams could look at him and say he could be a 34 outside linebacker, in addition to being a 34 inside linebacker. Right now what I say is a starting-off-the-ball linebacker and a potential sub at edge rusher. He’s got a skill set. I don’t use this word often, but he has a skill set that’s unique."

According to Niners Wire’s Chris Biderman, Mayock stressed the word unique when asked if Edmunds had any comps in the NFL.

“No. That’s my point. the definition of unique, there is only one of them,” he said.